Computational Sustainability and Artificial Intelligence in the Developing World

36 AI MAGAZINE It might be thought that artificial intelligence techniques or other types of computational methods are irrelevant in countries with few technological resources. As just one example of the possibilities, however, take road traffic in cities. The chaotic and spectacular road congestion that is characteristic of developing-world cities is a microcosm of opportunities for applying AI methods. The problems are mainly caused by inadequate infrastructure (for example, road layouts that have not changed significantly despite decades of economic growth, unsealed or pothole-strewn roads), and a lack of resources to monitor or control traffic (for example, scarce and possibly corrupt traffic police, rolling blackouts affecting traffic lights). Computational solutions might come in the form of ways to cheaply gather realtime data, to advise individuals or emergency vehicles on optimal routes, to dynamically redeploy a limited number of